SMIORE Receives Prestigious Seven Star Rating Award from Ministry of Mines

09 Jul 2025 CW Team

The Sandur Manganese & Iron Ores (SMIORE) has been conferred with the prestigious Seven Star Rating Award by the Ministry of Mines and the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) for its performance in the 2023–24 assessment year. The award recognises excellence in sustainable and green mining practices.

The felicitation took place on 7 July 2025 at the Rajasthan International Centre, Jaipur, during a national event honouring India's Five Star and Seven Star Rated Mines. The Seven Star Award was presented by Bhajanlal Sharma, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, in the presence of G Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Coal and Mines.

SMIORE is the only mining company from South India to receive the Seven Star Rating and is among just three mines nationwide to achieve this recognition. In addition, the company’s Kammathuru Iron Ore Mine, located in Sandur Taluk, Ballari District and spanning 1,860.10 hectares, was awarded the Five Star Rating for 2023–24.

Instituted by the Indian Bureau of Mines, the Star Rating Awards aim to encourage sustainable mining and honour operations that demonstrate best practices across safety, environmental management, technological innovation, and community development.

Bahirji A Ghorpade, Managing Director of SMIORE, expressed pride in the recognition, highlighting the company’s consistent focus on sustainability and operational excellence. He noted that SMIORE has achieved the Five Star Rating every year since its inception, with the current Seven Star recognition marking a new milestone in the company’s journey towards responsible mining.

Real Estate

07 Aug 2026

BXB Estates Sets AED 110 Million Jumeirah Golf Estates Record

BXB Estates has completed an AED 110 million residential transaction at Jumeirah Golf Estates, setting a new sales record for the prestigious Dubai residential community.Negotiated by Alfie Tabrez, Managing Partner of BXB Estates, the deal surpassed the previous record of AED 58 million for a completed ready villa in the development.The six-bedroom residence offers 21,714 sq ft of built-up space on a 15,873-sq-ft plot. It features nine bathrooms, four living lounges, a home office, bar lounge, private cinema and rooftop terrace.The property also includes a dedicated wellness area comprising a ..

SECR Floats Rs 6,019 Mn EPC Tender For Paradol Nagpur Link

South East Central Railway (SECR) has invited bids for an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract to build a new broad gauge single line between Paradol Takeoff Point and Nagpur Road Station in Chhattisgarh. The contract carries an estimated cost of Rs 6,019.0 mn and requires an earnest money deposit of Rs 120.4 mn. The work is framed as an EPC assignment intended to strengthen regional rail infrastructure. The tender, issued under number CAO-C-BSP-26-27-15, specifies a completion period of 730 days and a bid validity of 180 days. Two pre-bid meetings are scheduled for 24 Augu..

Indian Railways Reports Nine Per Cent Rise In July Freight Loading

Indian Railways handled 141.3 million tonnes (141.3 mn t) of freight in July, marking a rise of nine per cent year on year. Freight loading maintained a positive trajectory across the network compared with the same month last year. Passenger traffic also increased in July, contributing to higher overall network utilisation. The July outcome continued a pattern of steady monthly gains, reflecting gradual improvement in industrial and logistics activity. The growth in freight volumes reflected stronger demand across multiple sectors and improvements in logistics and train turnarounds. Enhanced r..